She grinned. “Thomas said you and I will be best friends, like Abram and Ezra.”
I stared at her. Words failed me.
"Now, we just have to figure out what we are going to do." Then she added brightly, “But first, I’m starving. Let me make us some food.”
Like she hadn’t just broken my universe in half.
Chapter 25
Abram
We didn’t speak for the first hour.
Philip’s estate stood pristine at the edge of the upper ring of the city—a sprawling manor of ivory stone and darkwood beams,allwrapped in climbing vines and fragrant night-blooming flowers. A wrought-iron fence circled the property, enchanted with subtlewardsthat shimmered when the moonlight struckjust right. Candlelight flickered behind tall arched windows, casting a soft, golden glow that gave the illusion of warmth, of safety.
Ezra sat on the edge of the rooftop like he wanted to throw himself through the window below. Red mist curled at his fingertips, dissipating before it could give us away. I leaned back against the chimney, cloaked in shadow and silence.
Too many guards. Too many enchantments. Too many unknowns.
“I don’t think that’s Farris in her bedroom pacing around like that.” Ezra finally sighed. “She doesn’t do that.”
I wasn’t sure how he could tell. We hadn’t actually seen the woman at all, just the shadow pacing on the wall.
“Just how often do you come and spy on her?” I asked.
Ezra looked at me and smiled.
“At least once a day. I just feel better when I see her.”
Ezra looked proud of himself. Ididn’tblame him. Iwouldn’tbe able to stay away from Elowyn.I’dstalk her every day too. In fact,I’dlive in those fucking woods over there if I needed to.
“I should go talk to her.” He cocked his head to the side in concern.
“You could go check on her,” I said dryly. “Have a heart-to-heart while her husband murders you.”
Ezra snorted. “I’ve died before. Wasn’t that impressive.”
He didn’t elaborate, and I didn’t ask. I wasn’t sure if he was joking.
A gust of wind blew through the trees behind us. The smell of smoke and iron drifted from the city below. Somewhere, a hound barkedoncethen whimpered quietly.
I narrowed my eyes at the windows.
“I count six guards, minimum,” I said. “Two on the upper balcony, four near the rear gate.”
Ezra stiffened beside me.
His fingers twitched again, and the red mist curled tighter then vanished altogether. “She’snot inthere,” he murmured.
I glanced at him. “What?”
“I don’t feel her,” he said, more to himself than to me. “I always feel her whenI’mclose, like this humming under my skin. It’s—” He broke off, eyes narrowing at the window. “That’s not her.”
As he said it, the shadow on the far wall shifted, lifting something from achair.
A feather duster.
Ezra made a noise somewhere between a growl and a groan. “It’s a fucking maid.”
